A Birthday Gift for Daniel
by stargatefan87
Summary: Vala has a surprising gift for Daniel on his birthday.


Title: A Birthday Gift for Daniel

Summary: Vala has a surprising gift for Daniel on his birthday.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate.

**A/N: I was recently watching an episode of Stargate where it was mentioned that Daniel's birthday is July 8th so in honor of the great Dr. Jackson's birthday tomorrow/today, here is a little fic.**

July 7th

Daniel Jackson was working, or attempting to work on a translation of an Ancient tablet found on P5S-375. However, his mind was elsewhere, flitting between memories. This past Fourth of July had been the first one that Vala had gotten to truly celebrate with him and the other members of SG-1. All of the previous years, they had been on missions or otherwise occupied.

Daniel leaned back in his desk chair and recalled how excited Vala had been to see the fireworks, how she had laughed in absolute joy as she pointed to the bright explosions in the sky. Something had happened between Daniel and Vala that night, something he wasn't sure he could explain.

_SG-1 had taken the long weekend and went up to Jack's cabin for the fourth. Vala had complained about the long trip and also how hot it was in the car since the air conditioning had gone out and Daniel had yet to get it fixed._

_Daniel, of course, had been the one to bring Vala up to the cabin. Sam was already there with Jack and Cam and Teal'c had driven up the day before._

_Daniel was about ready to pound his head against the steering wheel, Vala would not shut up and he had had enough._

_"Stop! Just stop!"_

_Her mouth gaped open. "Jeez, sorry darling, I didn't realize that it was your time of the month..." She turned to smirk at him._

_He was irate. "Haha, you're so funny Vala. Now could you quit complaining? This is supposed to be a fun vacation."_

_She crossed her arms and huffed. "Not my fault that it's like ten million degrees in here..."_

_Daniel ignored her, they had finally made it to Jack's cabin._

_The rest of the weekend had been a fun-filled mess of too many hotdogs and hamburgers as well as beer and mixed drinks. The group of friends had definitely needed this break from work._

_The night of the fourth, the team had gone to a local park to watch the fireworks. They brought several blankets to spread out on the ground and soon Sam and Jack were cuddled together on one, lost in their own little world. Cam and Teal'c each procured their own blanket and Vala plopped herself down next to Daniel on his._

_"Mind if I join you darling?"_

_She looked so beautiful in the dusky twilight, he just couldn't say no. "Okay," he said as he moved over to give her some space._

_They sat next to each other in comfortable silence until the fireworks started. Vala was practically bouncing in excitement at the fireworks display. Daniel had to smile at her childlike wonder, and when she began to shiver from the evening breeze, he put his arm around her to warm her._

_She turned to look at him and smiled. He smiled back before placing a chaste kiss to her forehead. Surprisingly enough, she didn't push it, she only rested her head against his shoulder for the remainder of the show._

_He wasn't sure why he kissed her, even though it was just on the forehead. Something had been going on between them lately, it was as if they were both slowly realizing that there could and _should _be something more between them._

_The next day they had returned to work. Daniel was busy trying to catch up on some translations and mission reports when Vala came bounding into his office._

_She hopped up on his desk. "Take me out tonight," Vala demanded._

_Daniel didn't even look up from his work. "No, I've got a lot of work to do. Go pester someone else."_

_If he would have looked up he would have seen a look of hurt flicker in Vala's eyes before she silently left his office._

_The next day she tried again, but he still shot her down. After a brief but heated argument she left in a huff and he hadn't seen her since._

Daniel shook himself from his memory, determined to get some work done. It was early morning, before the majority of the SGC was around and it was the best time for him to get his work complete.

A few hours later, he was finally getting somewhere when Vala came into his office, coffee in hand. "Morning darling, I brought you your coffee."

He looked up at her and graced her with a small smile. "Hey Vala, thanks."

She nodded and set down the steaming mug. "So Daniel, I think I know what I am going to get you for your birthday..."

He stopped his work momentarily and eyed her warily. He could only imagine what her idea of a 'gift' was. "Don't spend any money on me, you all agreed remember?" He was refering to the agreement he had made with the members of SG-1 not to buy him anything.

She shook her head. "I remember, my gift isn't anything I can buy." She winked at him and he was wary all of the sudden.

"I better not come to my quarters tomorrow and find you naked in my bed with only a bow on." He gave her a pointed look.

Vala just shrugged. "Well, I had thought about that, but Sam refused to let me go through with it."

Daniel silently thanked Sam, if Vala had tried that, he may not have been able to resist and that would not be a good way to start a new relationship. Well maybe it would, but that wasn't the kind of relationship that he was looking for.

"Well good. So what is it then?"

She swatted playfully at his arm. "I can't tell you that silly! You will see tomorrow."

Daniel sighed and got back to work, Vala by his side chatting aimlessly.

July 8th

It was Daniel's birthday and before the celebratory dinner that he would have later with his friends, he needed to finish his translation.

Vala came by as usual with his coffee. "Happy Birthday Daniel," she said as she set his coffee down. However, before he could even thank her she was out the door.

Hours later, Daniel finally finished his work. It had gone rather quickly after Vala had left. Usually she was there constantly pestering him and chatting her mouth off, distracting him from what he needed to do. However, she had not returned since she had brought him his coffee. He found that although he had gotten his work done, he had missed her companionship, had become accustomed to her being there with him so when she wasn't he'd felt lost.

He frowned at his thought. Teal'c walked in a moment later.

"Daniel Jackson, I hope you are having a pleasant day of birth." Teal' c bowed his head to him.

"Thanks Teal'c, I am. By the way, have you seen Vala lately? She hasn't been around much today."

The Jaffa gave him an odd look. "That is most unusual. I believe I saw her in Colonel Carter's office a bit earlier though."

Daniel thanked him and headed to Sam's office. Inside, he found Sam but no Vala.

"Have you seen Vala?"

Sam smiled at her friend knowingly. "She just went to go play basketball with Colonel Mitchell. She told me that if I saw you to tell you that she will see you at dinner tonight."

Daniel was confused. Vala wasn't acting like herself at all. "Umm, okay. Is she mad at me or something?"

Sam shook her head. "Not that I know of."

Daniel nodded and left the room heading back to his office and more work.

Hours later, Daniel and Vala, Cam, Teal'c, Sam, and Jack headed to O'Malley's for Daniel's birthday dinner.

They got their usual round table and sat in their usual order. Teal'c, Daniel, Vala, Cam, Sam, and Jack.

Every time they went to O'Malley's, Vala would snuggle herself as close as possible to Daniel without actually sitting in his lap. This time, she had actually left a few inches between their bodies, making Daniel feel like there was something definitely wrong.

The team ate and drank and laughed and soon everybody handed their birthday cards to Daniel.

He smiled and laughed as he read funny cards from Cam, Teal'c, and Jack. He leaned over the table to hug Sam after he read her heartfelt friendly card. Then he picked up the card from Vala. Her scrawly cursive writing had written 'To My Daniel' on the front.

He carefully opened the card and read the inside.

_Dearest Daniel,_

_I didn't know what to get for you for your birthday. You made it rather difficult since you refused to let anyone buy anything for you. I really was going to show up in your bed naked with just a bow on, but after discussing it with Sam, I decided that I shouldn't make you mad on your birthday. So instead, I gave you a day of peace and quiet. I stopped myself from bothering you all day so that you could get your work done without my interference. It was immensely difficult for me to leave you alone all day since I do enjoy being near you. I hope you enjoyed your little vacation away from me._

_Happy Birthday Darling!_

_Love,_

_Vala_

An odd feeling overcame Daniel as he read the card from Vala. She had stayed away from him as a gift to him? A long time ago he supposed that he would have been grateful for that, but now, now things were different. He had to set things straight.

He coughed. "Umm, Vala? Could I talk to you? Alone?"

The whole table gave him an odd look, but he ignored it, sliding out of the booth with Vala and heading to the door.

Once outside, Vala spoke up. "Something wrong darling?" She bit her lip looking nervously up at him.

He ran his hand through his short hair. "As much as I appreciate what you tried to do for me, it wasn't necessary. I mean I know that we get into fights, argue and bicker. I know that sometimes I may seem like I don't want you around, but I really do. I never knew how much I missed your company, annoying chatter and all until you weren't there with me today."

"What are you trying to say Daniel?" She cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"I'm trying to say that I missed you being around, that I like when you are around. That...that...I _love _when you are around. That...I...I love _you_."

Daniel gazed at Vala's beautiful face as it turned from confused to shocked to happy in just a few moments. "You really love me?"

He nodded.

She smiled her big toothy grin and flung her arms around his neck. "I love you too, so much darling!"

Daniel hugged her tight before setting her back a bit. "So can I get a new birthday gift?"

"Like what?"

"How about a kiss from the most beautiful woman in the world...er I mean universe?"

Vala laughed happily and then kissed Daniel tenderly. He pulled her as close as possible before deepening their kiss, losing himself in the love that they had for each other.

Daniel could not help but feel that this was the best birthday he had ever had.

**END. Let me know what you thought please!**

**-J**


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